ON-MACHINE SWITCH SIMPLIFIES NETWORK INTEGRATION

The ArmorStratix 5700 switch extends the company's portfolio to the on-machine space for connectivity in harsh environments. It is built with ruggedised IP67 protection, the Layer 2 managed industrial ethernet switch can be mounted directly onto a machine or application, reducing the overall size and cost of a control cabinet, and shrinking the machine footprint. "In many applications, cabinet space for system-level networks is limited or nonexistent," explained Mark Devonshire, product manager for Stratix switches. "The ArmorStratix 5700 switch requires no cabinetry and [takes advantage of] pre-configured, quick-connect systems and simplified wiring layouts to reduce installation, troubleshooting and maintenance activities." This managed switch uses Cisco IOS network infrastructure software, which manages the transfer of production data to enterprise-level databases and information systems for improved decision making. A senior analyst with ARC Advisory Group commented: "Machine-mounted ethernet switches with M12 connectors and IP67 ratings are very popular among machine builders. The new ArmorStratix 5700 switch is a joint Rockwell Automation-Cisco developed product that includes these features along with Cisco IOS. This robust, machine-mounted switch is a new development that should go a long way toward resolving the information technology/operational technology struggles in manufacturing plants today." The ArmorStratix 5700 Layer 2 switch offers high availability, Quality of Service (QoS), and automated monitoring to help simplify network optimisation and convergence. The switch comes standard with 8, 16 and 24 fixed-port configurations, and each base model comes with M12 ethernet connectors, SD flash card, dual-power inputs and a panel-mounted design. An expanded ArmorStratix 5700 switch offering includes 10 and 18 fixed-port configurations, with 2 gigabit ports, hardware-based IEEE 1588, hardware alarms, and up to eight power over ethernet (PoE) ports.